Composite slide rule

ABSTRACT

A composite slide rule showing for different type breadths defining the number of characters in a printed line the number of characters printed for various numbers of lines printed with such types. Advantageously, there is provided an elongated casing with a plurality of parallel channels the cross-section of which is preferably in the shape of a regular polygon such as an equilateral triangle, these channels slidingly housing prismatic slides of a corresponding cross-section, the sides of which carry each along its opposite edges cooperating scales of character and line numbers for a predetermined type breadth. This allows reading, through gates extending through the casing, the corresponding character and line figures for the selected character breadth.

United States Patent [191 F aucheux Aug. 27, 1974 [5 COMPOSITE SLIDERULE Primary Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin F [75] Inventor PierreFaucheux Pans rance Attorney, Agent, or Flrm-Emory L. Groff; Emory L.[73] Assigneer Etablissement Fresa, Vaduz, Groff, Jr, Liechtenstein 22Filed: Feb. 28, 1973 ABSTRACT 2 Appl' 33 22 A composite slide ruleshowing for different type breadths defining the number of characters ina printed line the number of characters printed for vari- [30] ForeignApphcatlo Data ous numbers of lines printed with such types. Advan- Mar.1, 1972 Switzerland 30l5/72 tageously, there is provided an elongatedcasing with a plurality of parallel channels the cross-section of [52]US. Cl 235/89 R which is preferably in the shape of a regular polygon[51 Int. Cl G06C 3/00 such as an equilateral triangle, these channelsslidingly Field of Search 235/69, 70, 85, 7, 89 housing prismatic slidesof a corresponding crosssection, the sides of which carry each along itsoppo- [56] References Cited site edges cooperating scales of characterand line UNITED STATES PATENTS numbers for a predetermined type breadth.This al- 67 269 7/1867 Coffin 235/69 lows reading through'gatesextending through the 1,354:977 10/1920 Kammeyer 235/89 R ing, theCorresponding Character and line figures for 2,643,058 6/1953 Quillinan235/70 R the ele ed character breadth. 3,197,135 7/1965 Osler.; 235/70 R3,272,431 Dablo 235/69 1 Clam" 4 Drawmg COMPOSITE SLIDE RULE The presentinvention has for its object a composite slide rule providing aparticular means for selecting the standard type, that is the breadth ofthe type to be used, taking into accountthe number of signs to beprinted and the number of lines available when making up and imposingany matter to be printed' This improved slide rule also affords meansfor reckoning, starting from a known number of characters and spacingsin a text, the number of lines which is to make up said text, takinginto account the relative breadth of type used, that is. the actuallyavailable number of characters per line for a given breadth of column.

In the case of an already cast off text, in other words when the numberof characters in a text and the number of available lines are known, theimproved slide rule allows furthermore a suitable breadth of type to beselected. According to the invention, the slide rule includes a set ofscale carrying members or slides corre'sponding each to differentbreadths of printing types, the scales on each of said members showingfor the 'eorresponding breadth the number of types to be used fordifferent numbers of printed lines.

The accompanying drawings illustrate diagrammatically and by way ofexample an embodiment of the slide rule according to the invention.

,In said drawings: I

FIGS. 1 and 2- are general perspective views of the slide rule as seenfrom above andfrom below respectively. 1 I FIG. 3 is a perspective viewof a detail showing one of the slides of the slide rule according'toFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 showson a larger scale a fraction of one surface of said slide. I

The slide rule illustrated includes a set of slides 1 the cross-sectionof which is in the shape of an equilateral triangle, said slides slidingin parallel guideways formed in a casing 2 having a trapezoidalcross-section.

Said casing 2 is provided with five longitudinal guideways or channels 3to 7, the cross-sections of said channels being in the shape ofequilateral triangles so as to slidingly house the corresponding slidesl.

Each of the three longitudinal sides of each slide 1 carries along eachof its longitudinal edges a scale, the

scale formed along the edge shown at 8 to the left in FIG. 4 is a scaleof numbers of. lines whereas the scale along the edge shown at 9 to theright in FIG. 4 is a scale of the numbers ,of types included inthe-lines the number of which appears in registry with the number oftypes considered on the opposite edge of the slide side. The number oftypes obviously depends on the breadth of the type considered, thenumber of types per line being recorded at the end of the slide side 10along the transverse edge thereof.

Thus a line of types of a breadth No. 85 includes 85 types as shown inFIG. 4; five lines include 425 types,

Thus assuming 79 lines are available for printing a text of 6,000 signsand spacings, it is possible to ascertain the breadth of type bestsuitable for this purpose; to this end, that slide is selected whichcarries on its scale of types and in registry with the number of lines79, a number of types equal toor above 6,000. The slide thus selected isintroduced into the channel 6, for instance, of the casing 2 with theside corresponding to the breadth of the type considered, the breadth 76in this example, facing the section 11 of the surface of the case 2. Theslide 1 is pushed inside the channel 6 until the number of lines79appears to viewthrough the gate 13 and it isthus possible to read, inregistry with said number of lines 79, the corresponding number oftypes, to wit 6,004.

' Assuming it is desired to print a text including 5,800 signs andspacings with types of a breadth standard No. 85, it is possible todefine the number of lines required as follows: there is introduced intothe channel 6, for instance, of the casing 2, a slide 1, one of thesidesof which carries the scales for abreadth of type No. 85. This sideshould face the section 11 of the casing surface, so that the slide 1may be shifted inside the channel 6 until the number of types 5,865appears to view through the gate 13, In registry with said number oftypes, the total number-of line's required may then be read, to wit 69lines.

. Now, assuming it is desired to ascertain the number of signs andspacings forming a textto be printed, with types of a breadth No. 90, on72 lines, for instance,

there should be introduced into the channel 6, for instance, of thecasing 2 that slide'which carries on one of its sides the scalesprovided for said types of a breadth No. 90. Said side should face thesection 11 of the outer surface of the casing 2, the selected slidebeing shifted inside the channel 6 until the number 72 on thescale oflines appears to view through the gate 13. In registry with said figure72, the number of signs and spacings, in the present case 6,480, will beread as the number of types which can be printed on 72 lines with saidtypes of a breadth No. 90.

The gates 12, 13 and 15-17 formed in the outer surface of the casing 2serve, on the one hand, for ascertaining the number of types of a givenbreadth which corresponds to a predetermined number of lines and, on theother hand, for comparing the data given out by slides corresponding todifferent type breadths.

Numerous modifications may be brought to the embodiment describedhereinabove without widening the scope of the invention, as defined inthe accompanying -low slide the cross-section of which is in the shapeof an equilateral triangle, for instance, may be obtained for instancethrough the mere folding of a sheet of cardboard, plastics or metal,which has been longitudinally printed and corrugated. It is thuspossible to supply the slides in a flat condition.

Flat slides may also be provided so as to be slidingly fitted inslideways or .channels of a corresponding shape, similar to those of aconventional slide rule. In

such a case, the marking may be executed along the very edge of theslides or again by means of an advantageously transparent slider, of thekind used in conventional slide rules.

I claim:

1. A composite slide rule for providing the relationship between thebreadth of a particular size of type to be used, the number ofcharacters to be printed and the number of lines to be printed with saidtype comprising, an opaque casing trapezoidal in cross section andprovided with five parallel longitudinal channels, said channels eachhaving the shape of an equilateral triangle, the base of one channeladjoining an apex of an adjacent channel, a pair of viewing openings inone parallel side of said casing and three viewing openings in theopposite parallel side of said casing, a prismatic equilateral shapedscale carrying slide disposed in each of said channels, each side ofeach of said slides bearing indicia relating to a number of lines and acorresponding number of characters, each end of each said slide bearingindicia indicating a breadth of type relating to that particular sidewhereby reciprocating a selected slide in its related channel providesthe user with the number of type characters and spaces relative to thenumber of lines available for printing when the selected number of linesappears in the related viewing opening.

1. A composite slide rule for providing the relationship between thebreadth of a particular size of type to be used, the number ofcharacters to be printed and the number of lines to be printed with saidtype comprising, an opaque casing trapezoidal in cross section andprovided with five parallel longitudinal channels, said channels eachhaving the shape of an equilateral triangle, the base of one channeladjoining an apex of an adjacent channel, a pair of viewing openings inone parallel side of said casing and three viewing openings in theopposite parallel side of said casing, a prismatic equilateral shapedscale carrying slide disposed in each of said channels, each side ofeach of said slides bearing indicia relating to a number of lines and acorresponding number of characters, each end of each said slide bearingindicia indicating a breadth of type relating to that particular sidewhereby reciprocating a selected slide in its related channel providesthe user with the number of type characters and spaces relative to thenumber of lines available for printing when the selected number of linesappears in the related viewing opening.